“I don’t want to be a burden” – The hidden weight of loneliness among the elderly.
The National Foundation for Elderly has released a press statement that cuts to the heart of an often-overlooked reality: many older people don’t just feel lonely, they feel like a burden. That feeling quietly stops them from reaching out, even when the need for connection is urgent.
According to the National Elderly Survey 2025, one in five Dutch seniors (22%) experiences severe loneliness. In total, half of all respondents said they feel lonely to some degree. And yet, behind the statistics is a repeating refrain: “I don’t want to be in the way.”